Wind and stream or oceanographic water are forces of nature in the form of fluid that surround us and as a whole is barely being tapped for its energy generating potential. Wind is harnessed to sail ships, pump water, and create electricity, just to name a few. Hydroelectric power has also contributed largely to the production of electricity. Hydroelectric systems have also typically deployed as large industrial system and have not found wide use in the private sector. Yet untapped potential exists with streams and shorelines near residential and commercial developments.
Recent events in the world have highlighted the need for alternative, cleaner methods of power production, whether it is from the wind, the sun, water, or organic matter. Changes in battery storage capacity and life and generator efficiency have made it so that individuals desiring to supplement their energy requirements may do so at a much more affordable cost over 15 years ago. These so-called “Green” technologies continue to be improved as energy shortages and high costs of energy plague society.
In general, electric power generation systems can be classified into hydroelectric power generation, thermal power generation, nuclear power generation, solar power generation, bio-fuel power generation and wind power generation using wind energy. Wind energy is limitless, purely domestic renewable energy that is freely available in the world. The wind power generation system faces some difficulty in its stability due to fluctuation in direction and speed of air. Wind energy has been used as a source of power for sailing ships for several thousands of years, and until recently, we have been using it in water pumping and operating flour mills. Recently, many new ideas and theories for windmill and wind power generation have surfaced, like propeller shaped blades as part of large, scaled power generators that rotate based on aerodynamics of the blade designs.
Wind generated power has been used as a source of electricity that can be used directly by buildings and other fixed infrastructure, or has been fed directly into public utility system grids for distribution and use by public utility customers. Wind generated electrical power will continue to find uses as its need increases at all levels and types of consumption and as an alternative energy to fossil fuels.
It is known in the art that the propeller of a wind power generator should ideally be positioned in the path of the flowing air. In most systems currently being deployed internationally, propellers and generators can reach height greater than 100 feet and rotational diameters greater than 50 ft. Propellers currently used with wind power generators are designed in such a way to produce power output as various wind speed conditions press against propeller blades. It is unfortunate that such system must be so large, which is a main point of contention by many communities.
Systems for the generation of electrical power from natural sources are clearly needed that are smaller than is currently available and in wide use. There is also more specifically a need for smaller, less visually intrusive fluid powered electric generation systems for fixed residential, commercial and mobile applications. With the current invention a system is presented that can less expensively generate electrical energy from fluid flow, be it air or water. Power generated by the present invention can be utilized in fixed as well as mobile applications and can generate electrical power from wind, vehicle-induced airflow, flowing water in a stream or river, flowing water through water utility lines, and ocean flow near coastlines.